The invention relates to a method for cooling gun barrels of firearms, wherein a coolant is provided to the gun barrel via at least one feed line and at least one nozzle. The invention further relates to a device for executing the method.
A prior cooling device for the gun barrels of firearms is known from German Letters Patent DE-PS 31 45 764, which is particularly suited for automatic firearms and heavy-duty automatic cannons. In connection with such heavy-duty firearms firing highly developed munitions, great wear of the gun barrels is a result of the fact that the surface heat cannot be dissipated with sufficient speed. The heat stress, which occurs in rapid sequence when firing a volley, causes surface tensions and changes in the material. The surface area can be heated up to temperatures where the material is in a plastic deformation phase. In addition, because of the outflowing powder gases, as well as the friction between the shell and the gun barrel, the gun barrel material is worn off.
To extend the service life of the gun barrels, the above mentioned German patent proposes to provide cooling conduits in the area of the end section of the gun barrel adjoining a drum, which are oriented radially outward between the individual cartridge seats and which are connected with a main conduit for coolant supply extending in the drum axis. The cooling conduits are connected with nozzles which extend parallel with respect to the longitudinal direction of the drum, terminating in the front face of the drum and are arranged at the same distance from the longitudinal axis of the drum as the center longitudinal axis of the cartridge seats. Blocking elements for the nozzles are provided in the cooling conduits which, in the case of firing, briefly release the respective nozzles located in the area of the barrel opening. The blocking elements are, for example, slides, which can be displaced by means of control elements sliding along a control cam during the rotating movement of the drum. The coolant reaches the interior wall of the gun barrel directly through the nozzles. In this case the nozzles are only opened for the period of time they slide by the rear of the gun barrel, and coolant is only provided if firing takes place. However, the length of sliding time can be too short in connection with gun barrel systems of higher cyclic rates, or respectively with more intense rhythmic firing, so that not enough coolant reaches the gun barrel and insufficient cooling is provided.
The object of the invention is to provide a method and a device to sufficiently cool the gun barrels of weapons systems, especially so that high cyclic firing rates can be achieved.
This object is attained by means of the method and device in accordance with the invention. Here, a coolant is conveyed from a reservoir into a pressure cylinder by drawing up a hydraulic piston, in the course of which the feed line arrangement to the gun barrel is closed. Thereafter, the hydraulic piston is moved in the opposite direction by reversal of the pressure, and the coolant in the pressure cylinder is put under a defined operating pressure. Prior to triggering a volley, the feed line is opened so that the coolant can flow via the feed line through a nozzle to the gun barrel. The coolant is respectively pushed back by the gas pressure created when a shot is fired, and is re-injected into the gun barrel after the gas pressure has been reduced to the operating pressure.
The advantages which can be achieved by means of the invention reside in, among other things, the pre-firing lubrication of the gun barrel, the automatic re-lubrication of the gun barrel and the resulting increased service life of the barrel in connection with higher firing cycles. By using one or several nozzles, it is assured that a sufficiently large amount of coolant is injected into the gun barrel, wherein only little coolant can flow back after each round.
A further advantage can be seen to reside in that during the employment of the proposed cooling device, no mechanically actuated parts are required, with the exception of the piston, so that a high degree of dependability can be achieved.
The invention will be explained in what follows by means of an exemplary embodiment in connection with the drawings.